Women's Resilience Summit 2026

Is it about pushing through life's challenges, or knowing when to pause, change direction and put ourselves first?

Join us for Women’s Resilience Summit 2026, an inspiring and thought-provoking celebration of women's strength, courage, creativity and capacity for change.

Bringing together an exciting line-up of speakers, authors, wellbeing practitioners and creative voices, the summit explores resilience in all its forms – from emotional wellbeing, self-belief and personal growth to financial confidence, women's health, overcoming adversity and finding the courage to embrace uncertainty.

Through powerful personal stories, fresh perspectives, practical insights and moments of reflection, we'll challenge conventional ideas about what it means to be strong. We'll explore how to break free from limiting beliefs, navigate life's transitions, reconnect with our authentic selves and build a more sustainable approach to wellbeing and success.

The programme features talks, poetry, live music, a restorative sound bath and opportunities to connect with other women, share experiences and discover new ways of thinking.

Come along to be inspired, challenged and uplifted – and leave with fresh perspectives, practical tools and a renewed sense of what is possible.

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Piano performance

German-South African pianist Julia Metzmacher is an accomplished soloist and collaborative musician who studied at the Freiburg University of Music and the Royal College of Music in London. She has performed at international music festivals and participated in the BBC's orchestral pianist scheme. Currently pursuing advanced performance studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Julia brings her musical artistry to the summit in a special piano performance.

Website | Concert & Cake | LinkedIn

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Yoga Teacher & Wellbeing Practitioner

Kristina Ivkovic is a yoga teacher and wellbeing practitioner whose journey from a high-pressure international career in fashion to yoga and meditation has shaped her approach to resilience and self-care. Drawing on her personal experience of burnout, she advocates simple, sustainable practices that bring balance into everyday life. Her philosophy is rooted in consistency rather than perfection, and the belief that meaningful progress comes through small, repeated steps.

Instagram | LinkedIn | Yoga Classes at Chelsea Library

GP, Author & Women's Health Advocate

Dr Julie Hammond is a multi-award-winning NHS and private GP, women's health and postpartum expert, and author of The Fourth Trimester: The Best Friend's Guide to Your Postpartum Body and Mind. She is also the founder of mamAR, a digital health education and community platform supporting parents from preconception through the early years of their child's life. A passionate advocate for health equity, she works to address inequalities in healthcare, particularly those affecting Afro-Caribbean communities.

Website | LinkedIn

Your Inner Warrior: What Is She Protecting You From?

Tina Gray is a clinical hypnotherapist, RTT® Master Therapist and corporate wellbeing consultant who has trained more than 16,000 therapists worldwide. Drawing on her own journey from abuse and self-destruction to healing and purpose, Tina explores how our subconscious beliefs shape the patterns we repeat. Her deeply personal talk invites us to question whether the protective armour we've built around ourselves is still serving us – and how resilience can become a conscious choice rather than a survival mechanism.

Website | LinkedIn

Founder, The Well Me Method

Ruta Labrence is the founder of The Well Me Method, a women's wellness practice bringing together nutrition, movement, hormonal health and nervous system regulation. Her holistic approach combines health coaching, sound and mindful movement to support sustainable physical and emotional wellbeing. Ruta will lead a restorative sound bath, offering an opportunity to pause, relax and reconnect with ourselves amid the day's conversations and inspiration.

LinkedIn

You Only Need to Know Just Enough

International speaker Sage Tyson believes in the transformative power of storytelling. Through personal experiences of navigating uncertainty, she challenges the idea that we need a five-year plan before taking the next step. Her talk explores how we can move beyond fear of the unknown, reconnect with our intuition and develop the self-trust to move forward, even when we don't know exactly where life will lead.

Website | LinkedIn

Financial Confidence & Wellbeing

Anna Orenstein-Cardona is an author, Certified Financial Education Instructor and founder of Wear Your Money Crown®, a holistic financial education and coaching company. With more than 22 years of senior leadership experience on Wall Street and in the City of London, she combines financial expertise, behavioural science and a compassionate approach to money management. Anna champions financial wellbeing as an essential part of overall wellbeing, helping people build healthier relationships with money and greater confidence in their financial futures.

Website | LinkedIn

The Duck's Back Method™: Resilience Without Losing Yourself

Sarah Withers is an international speaker, NLP mindset coach, SaaS founder and Tower Hamlets Women's Advocate of the Year 2025. Specialising in resilience and neuroinclusion, she challenges the belief that being resilient means constantly pushing through adversity. Introducing her four-stage Duck's Back Method™, Sarah explores how to recognise unhelpful thought patterns, challenge limiting beliefs and reconnect with our authentic selves – building resilience without sacrificing our wellbeing or identity.

Life It or Not | My Home Ed Plan | LinkedIn

The Self-Love It Takes to Go After Your Dreams

Gabriella Jessup is an author and host of Higher Self Thinking, a platform exploring self-belief, personal growth and the relationship we have with ourselves. Her debut book, Your Life to Influence, encourages readers to rediscover possibility, challenge self-imposed limitations and pursue their ambitions with confidence. Drawing on her experience in corporate communications and her own personal reflections, Gabriella explores why self-love is not simply about feeling good, but about giving ourselves permission to pursue the lives we truly want.

Instagram | Substack | TikTok | Podcast | LinkedIn

Award-Winning Poet & Short Story Writer

Elizabeth Uter is a multi-award-winning poet and short story writer whose work explores identity, belonging and the human experience. She won both the adult and overall prizes in the 2018 Poem for Slough competition and is a two-time winner of the City of Stories competition. A dynamic performer and experienced poetry workshop facilitator, Elizabeth has appeared at the Queen's Park Book Festival, UK poetry slams and numerous literary events. She brings the power of spoken word to the summit, celebrating creativity and storytelling as expressions of resilience.

Website/Blog | Instagram

Not Tougher. Lit From Within: A Talk on Resilience, Power and Zest for Life

Ekaterina Ward is an entrepreneur, speaker and founder of Vivacity, a movement empowering women to lead, love and succeed without sacrificing themselves in the process. Having left a career in financial services to build two businesses while raising her daughter, she brings personal insight into the challenges of balancing ambition, identity and wellbeing. Her talk challenges the notion that resilience means becoming tougher, exploring instead how women can reconnect with their inner strength, vitality and sense of purpose.

Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

Hidden Truth About Being a Feminist: Five Steps of Grief

Janna Araeva is a feminist filmmaker, gender equality expert and climate justice activist. Her work spans international organisations, grassroots NGOs, feminist media and research into diversity and equality in the UK film and television industry. Drawing on her experience in activism and advocacy, Janna explores the emotional complexities of feminism through her talk Hidden Truth About Being a Feminist: Five Steps of Grief, offering a thought-provoking perspective on the personal dimensions of working towards equality.

Instagram | LinkedIn

Associate Professor of Mathematics Education & Mathematical Resilience Coach

Sue Johnston-Wilder is Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Warwick and co-developer of the Mathematical Resilience framework, which draws on psychology to help learners overcome maths anxiety and build confidence.

Her work explores how resilience can be developed through a growth mindset, supportive learning environments and the understanding that struggle is a natural part of learning. Co-founder of the international Mathematical Resilience Network, Sue champions an approach to education that empowers people to face challenges, seek support and discover their own capacity to succeed.

LinkedIn

Entrepreneur, Business Leader & Inspirational Speaker

From foster care, school exclusion and homelessness at just 16 to becoming an award-winning business leader, Asha Agarwal's extraordinary journey is a powerful testament to resilience, courage and determination.

Refusing to let her circumstances define her future, Asha rose to become a Director at one of the UK's leading real estate firms before founding her own successful business, Inspire Homes.

Now a passionate advocate for women's empowerment, she draws on her experiences to inspire others to overcome adversity, challenge limiting beliefs and pursue their ambitions, regardless of where they began.

Her message is simple but powerful: Your past does not define your future.

LinkedIn

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Light refreshments will be provided during the networking break, offering an opportunity to relax, connect with fellow attendees and continue the day's conversations.

Please note that a professional photographer will be present throughout the event, taking photographs and recording video footage for promotional and publicity purposes.

By booking a ticket, you acknowledge that photography and filming will take place and that you may appear in event photographs or videos.

If you would prefer not to be photographed or filmed, please make yourself known to the event organiser on arrival. We will ensure that your wishes are respected and that you are not included in photographs or video footage.